Acetylene-gas generator



Patented Sept. 6, {898.

{Application file-:1 Sept 14, 1897.,-

(No Model.)

,w VEN TOR William J? 1%0611 rge,

W/TNESSES A fro/m5 m; "puma Farms co, woraumo, msmumcrw. u c.

ATEENT FFICEG,

\VILLIAM A. MCCUNE, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

ACETYLEN E-GAS G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,306, datedSeptember 6, 1898.

Application filed September 14, 1897- Serial No. 651,672. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM A. MCCUNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sterling, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAcetylene-GasGenerators 5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relatesto acetylene-gas generators, and pertains moreespecially to that class wherein the process of generation is carried onautomatically, the main objects of my device being to furnish novel andsimple means for replenishing the carbid without permitting an escape ofthe gas from the gasholder and a simple and new method of admitting thewater to the carbid While in operation and cutting off the supplythereof.

In the drawing the figure is a vertical crosssection of my invention.

1 represents the usual water-tank, and 2 the gas-holder telescopingvertically therein. In the center of the gas-holder 2 and integraltherewith is the cylinder 3, communicating with the gas-holder 2 bymeans of one or more holes 4t in said cylinder and pipes 5, securedtherein, said holes 4 being a short distance below the Water-line whenthe gas-holder is at its lowest point.

6 is a lid or cover tightly secured upon the cylinderS by any knownmethod. Suspended from the lid dwithin the cylinder 3 is the carbidholder or pail 7, having -a tight bottom and sides except whereperforated by one or more series of minute holes 8 immediately below theWater-line when the gas-holder 2 is at the lowest point.

By means of the pipe 9 the gas is conducted to the usual gas-reservoiror gasometer (not shown) and prevented from-returning when desired bythe shut-off cock 10. Through the funnel l1 and aperture 12 in the wallof the water-tank 1 the Water can be kept at the desired height in suchtank.

In operation the pail 7 is partly filled with calcium carbid, insertedwithin the cylinder 3, and the cover 6 secured in place. The wa terimmediately enters the holes 8 and, coming in contact with the carbid,generation of acetylene gas results. As the gas fills the cylinder 3it'is not sufficient in quantity to raise the gas-holder 2; but thepressure of "the gas forces the water surrounding the carbid-holder 7downward until the gas escapes through the opening 4 and pipe 5 into thegas-holder-2. 'As the gas-holder becomes charged with gas it rises,carrying with it the cylinder 3 and pail 7, until the perforations 8 areabovethe water-line and the supply of water to the carbid shut off. Asthe supply of gas becomes depleted and the Water in the carbid-pail isexhausted the gas-holder descends until fresh water is supplied, and theprocess continues. The perforations 8 are quite small, so as to have theeifect of a spray, and it is not necessary to use more than the lowerhole 8 of the series, the additional holes merely increasing therapidity of generation, which can also be regulated by the size of oneor more of the lower holes used alone.

In cleaning out the pail 7 and renewing the carbid (which can only bedone when the gasholder 2 is at its lowest point) the gas is con finedin the gasometer by means of the stopcock 10, it being impossible forwhat gas there may be in the gas-holder 2 to escape, on account of theopening 4 being below the water-line. The greater volume of gas is inthe gasometer, the gas-holder of which, having no attachments, islighter and rises more easily than the gas-holder 2.

It is evident that as soon as the opening t is elevated above thewater-line there is direct communication between the cylinder 3 andgas-holder 2.

If desired, the opening 4 in the cylinder 3 can be used without thetubeor pipe 5; but in such use, while the hole 4 is below the Wa=ter-1ine, the gas in escaping through the water on the outside of thecylinder would make a continual bubbling noise, which is averted by theuse of the pipe.

What I claim as my invention, and desire I to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is-- 1. In a gas-generator, the combination with avertically-operating gas-holder provided with a pendent inner generatingcylinder open at'both' ends, and having a series of ap ertnres throughits walls normally below the:

water-level, of pipes extending npwardlyfrom said apertures to a pointabove the Waterlevel, a cover designed to close the upper end: 7

of the cylinder, and an apertured carbidholder suspendedwithin saidcylinder, substantially as specified: r V V 2. The combination with awater-tank providediwith a supply-funnel upon its exterior and below itsupper edge, of a gas-holder within the tank provided with an innerpendent generating-cylinder opening thronghthe top of the gas-holder andprovidedwith apertures normally in a lower plane than the bottom of thesupply-f unn'el, pipes communieating at their lower ends with saidapertures and extending upwardly close to the exterior 1 r V of thecylinder, a cover above the gas-holder and closing the upperend of thegeneratingcylinder, a carhid holder suspended within 7 the cylinderlfromthe cover and provided with a ClOSQClbOElZOHlHHd aperturesadjacent tothe apertures in the cylinder and a cock-com trolled gas-pipe piercingthe tank at its bottom and extending upwardly intozthe gasholder to apoint above the water-level, sub

stantially as specified. V r V r In testimonywhereof I aliix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses:

CARL E. SHELDON, 2: FRED L. McCUNE WILLIAM A. MCCUNE. 7

